ir^jii 







PLANTATION 
SONGS 

RuthM^EReryStuari 





Class .3^^:^^ 
Book -7^ Co 

Copyright]^" 



COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. 



PLANTATION 50NG5 



.'^fc^ 




"Oh, shoutin's mighty sweet.' 



PLANTATION 
SONGS 

AND OTHER VERSE 



BY 

RUTH McLNLRY STUART 

Author of "Sonny," "Carlotta's Intended," etc. 




Illuslrated by L. W. KEMBLL 



D. APPLLTON AND COMPANY 
NEW YORK LONDON 

19 16 



c!' 



*> 

^"^4!^ 



. COPTBIGHT, 1916, BT 

RUTH McENERY STUART 



Printed in the United States of America^ 

JUL -6 1916 \»i(^\^ 



'CI,A4336C:6 



CONTENTS 



PLANTATION SONGS 

PAGE 

Beauty-land 3 

Wash-day 6 

Lady Mis' Eve 8 

April 9 

Stars and Dimples 10 

The Paradise-bird 13 

Adam's Apple 17 

Whek de Sun Swings Low 18 

Plantation Hoe Song , . 20 

Lady-baby , „ .24 

Why? . 39 

Junior-man , . 31 

Ol' Mammy Mumble-low 35 

The Sisters 36 

Jes Her Way 39 

The Fortune-teller 43 

Reverend Mingo Millenyum's Ordination ... 46 

Roses 51 

Come Along, Miss Nancy 53 

Tiger-lilies 55 

LUCINDY 57 

Oh, Love's My Meat 62 

Winnie 64 

Washerwoman's Hyihn 68 

De Star in de East ........ 70 

Oh, Shoutin's Mighty Sweet ...... 72 

Voices . .74 

V 



CONTENTS 

PAGE 

O Mt Sofl, Yof Mus' Be Wai.kix' ik Yo' Sleep . . 77 

Oh, de Lord, He Walked de Waters 80 

Oh, Heaben's Mighty Close 82 



SONGS OF LIFE AND LOVE 

The Sea of Peace 85 

Consecration 87 

Allegiance 89 

Disarmament 90 

Beware the Leaven 92 

Mary 93 

Bethlehem „ . 95 

The Gentling Years » . 97 

Sitting Blind by the Sea = . 99 

Companionship , . 103 

April Dreaming . 103 

The Blue . . . . . . . . . .104 

Service 105 

The Cycle 

I. Nature's Rhythm 106 

II. The Mosaic Law 108 

III. The Gospel . .110 

Brotherhood 112 

Life's Arraignment 117 

Life and the Vision 122 



JUST FOR FUN 

Ye Merry Peacemakers 125 

October 129 

The Man in the Moon 133 



LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 



"Oh, shoutin's mighty sweet" Frontispiece 

PAGE 

"Or Marse Adam" 15 

*'So wid my hoe I go — 
Row on row, row on row — ^" 21 

"Tell 'em mammy's black an' ol'. 

Human sins is on 'er soul. 

But she gyards de chillen's fol' — ^" 25 

"He'd call dem Scriptures out" 47 

"Tell de trufe, Lucindy's ways 

Gits me so upsot some days — " ...... 59 



PLANTATION SONGS 



BEAUTY-LAND 
A LULLABY 

KivER up yo' eye, my baby, wid yo' mammy's 
sleeve, 
When de windy elemints is callin' out aloud, 
Dat's de way de stars dey go to sleep, I do 
believe : 
Mammy Night she kivers up her babies wid 
a cloud. 

White mamma, lady mamma, she's so 

mighty gay, 
Beauty's boun' to dance at de ball ; 
But black mammy, nigger mammy, 

ain't a-gwine away, 
Nuver leave 'er sleepin' baby 't all. 

All about in Slumber-Ian' dey's beauty layin' 
roun' — 
Layin' loose, a-waitin' for de chillen to come 
in; 

3 



PLANTATION SONGS 

Yisterday my baby went, an' what you think 
she foun' ^ 

But dem creases in 'er wris'es an' dat dimple 
in 'er chin? 

White mamma, lady mamma, she's so 
mighty gay, 
Satins boun' to rustle at de ball; 
But black mammy, nigger maromy, 
nuver gwine aw^ay — 
Ain't expected nowhar else at all. 

Lady mamma walked in Beauty's garden as a 
babe ; 
Same ol' nigger mammy settin' watchin' at 
de gate, 
Trusted wid de treasure dough dey say she was 
a slabe — 
Oh, chillen, quit yo' foolin', 'caze de times is 
gittin' late. 

White mamma, lady mamma, she's so 
mighty gay, 
Boun' to greet de gov'ner at de ball; 
But black mammy, nigger mammy, 
ain't a-gwine away — 
No, sir. Mister Angel, don't you call. 
4 



BEAUTY-LAND 

Baby 's gone to Beauty-Ian' — de pinky gates 
is shet — *" 

So mammy gwine a-noddin', too, to gyar- 
dens in de sky, 
To view de heavenly mansions whar de golden 
streets is set. 
An' mammy an' her babies will be gethered, 
by an' by. 

White mamma, lady mamma, she's so 
mighty gay, 
Bonn' to grace de 'easion at de ball; 
But black mammy, nigger mammy, 
ain't a-gwine away — 
Nuver leave 'er sleepin' baby 't all. 



5 



WASH-DAY 

Oh, de sunrise, but it's sweet! 

An' de dew-grass licks my feet 
When I balamces my bundle on my head, 

An' I sa'nters to de spring 

Whar de risin' bubbles sing 
In de ehiny-grove behin' de cattle-shed. 

Oh, dey's lather in soap, 

An' dey's bubbles in hope; 
But my love he's in de shed amongs' de calves. 

An' he'll meet me by de mill 

At de risin' o' de hill — 
'Caze he knows I totes my bundle tied in 
halves. 

He's a skimpy little nigger, 

But I wouldn't have him bigger; 

He's de figger an' de face o' my desire: 
Jes as sweet an' dry an' spindlin' 
As my pine he splits for kindlin' — 

Takes a mighty little thing to light a fire. 

6 



WASH-DAY 

When de dusk brings out de edges 

O' de west'ard-growin' hedges, 
An' each gou'd-flower on de stable is a sun, 

F'om de fiel' bey on' my bleachin' 

Comes a cow-song, so beseechin' 
Dat I fools aroun' untel de milkin's done. 

Clo'es is sweeter once dewed over 

Layin' out upon de clover. 
An' a night-shower nuver does 'em any harm; 

So, at sundown, shadder-figgers 

Of two empty-handed niggers 
Dances, tall, across de medders, arm in arm. 

An' we watches 'em an' giggles. 

An' I dodges an' I wriggles. 
So de shadder-man can't tech de lady's wais' 

Till he reaches wid a motion 

Dat's perzac'ly to my notion; 
Den I 'bleeged to let him span it to his tas'e. 
• ••••• 

Yas, de risin' sun is sweet. 

But de goin' down's complete; 
On'y trouble is it seems to come too soon; 

But dey's alius one dark minute 

Wid de tas'e o' heaven in it — 
Jes' a kissin'-space, betwix' de sun an' moon. 

7 



LADY MIS' EVE 

Ole Cap'n Devil tuk a walk in Paradise — 
Lady Mis' Eve she's a-walkin', too — 

Hoped to meet Mars' Adam, she was steppin' 
mighty nice — 
Lady Mis' Eve she's a-walkin', too — 

Dis was 'fo' de fig-time, so my lady picked a 
rose — 
Lady Mis' Eve she's a-walkin', too — 
An' she helt it 'g'inst de sunlight, as she felt de 
need o' clo'es — 
Lady Mis' Eve she's a-walkin', too — 

Den she shuk 'er yaller ringlets do^n an' 
'lowed dat she was dressed — 
Lady Mis' Eve had a walkin' fit — 
Cap'n Devil come a-quoilin' — ever'body knows 
de rest — 
Lady Mis' Eve she's a-walkin' yit. 



8 



APRIL 
ON THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI 

Ol' Jack Frost he sneaks, a-creepin', 
While Sis' Snow she's dwindled, sieepin'; 
April 's bhnkin' yonder, weepin', 
Wid a rainbow 'g'inst her hair, 
So dey mus' be sun somewhere. 

Heavy fogs lays on de river 
Whar de greenin' willers shiver 
Tell gray blankets wrop an' kiver 
All de trimblin' branches bare — 
An' no sign o' sun nowhere. 

Bright new ginghams in de churches, 
Schoolmarms trimmin' limber birches, 
or man diggin' bait for pyerches, 
Hummin', "Fishes sho to bite, 
Ef dis sun don't shine too bright." 

Boys an' gals all out a-co'tin'. 
Lots o' fun an' music floatin' 
Out amongst de rafts an' boatin' ; 
Oh, dey's plenty sunsliine there 
Whether skies is dark or clair! 
2 9 



STARS AND DIMPLES 

Ol' Sis Cow was jes' a-perishin' to laugh, 
So she had to chaw hard on her cud 

When she come a-trudgin' home wid a little 
spotted calf 
Dat she 'lowed she had found in de wood. 

Three white stars like its mammy's on its ears — 
Cow, she took de number wid a grin. 

Same as de chillen's mammy, tickled mos' to 
tears 
At her dimples breakin' out in baby's chin. 

Six white stars doT\Ti a-waitin' at de gate — 

Sundown drappin' into dark — 
Calfie ambles middlin' stiddy, spotted head 
agin' its mate; 

Wonder do it reco'nize de mark! 

Wonder do de Baby know de mammy-dimples, 
too. 
When he doubles up his fist to pound 'em in, 
10 



STARS AND DIMPLES 

A-crowin' an' a-preachin', wid a high ol' hulla- 
baloo, 
Whilst dey interchange de secret, chin to 
chin. 



11 



THE PARADISE-BIRD 
HOW HE GOT HIS COLORS AXD LOST HIS SONG 

Oh, de Paradise-bird in de knowledge tree 

In Eden's gysuden, he sez, sezee : 

"I better roost high, I do beheve, 

'Caze ruction's breT^dn' 'twix' Adam an' Eve; 

Dey's apples in 'er cheek an' hunger in 'is eye. 

Oh, yas," he 'low, "I better roos' high!" 

(^Vhilst Adam an' Eve, like chillen strayed 
Aroun' dat apron-fig-tree's shade.) 

De bird was gray as de pyerchin' limb, 

So he could look down an' dey couldn't see him, 

Yit he roosted high like a wisdom bird. 

But he saw what he saw an' he heard what he 

heard ; 
He heard dat snake when he sclaimed, sezee : 
"I bleeged to squirm aroun' dis apple-tree!" 
(To see what's what, e'vesdrop on Eve, 
An' fin' what Adam got up 'is sleeve. ) * 

* He tuk dat word f 'om 'is sarpint sight, 
'Caze he seen how he'd soon have 'em dressed, all right. 

12 



THE PARADISE-BIIID 

Den de Paradise-bird, he tried to hum, 
But de talkin' snake had skeered 'im dumb; 
And de Bible facts, dey rushed so fast. 
He sca'cely sensed when de apple passed — 
Wid de angel o' wrath — an' de flamin' sword — 
An' de call for "ADAM!" in de voice o' de 
Lord ; 
(An' him an' Eve hid back in de corn, 
Sewin' fig-leaf clo'es wid a o'ange thorn). 

Brer Paradise-bird looked on untel 
He teetered on 'is limb tel he all but fell ; 
Still, he kep' 'is color tel Adam, sezee: 
"Dis lady, O Lord, wha' you loaned me, 
She tempted me so'e wid a bait o' fruit, 
An' we back heah, sewin' a proper suit. 

(Den he heerd ol' Adam chuckle an' say: 
"Dat apron-fig-tree saved de day!") 

He spoke sort o' hoa'se, lak 'is throat was so'e, 
'S ef 'is words got clogged 'ginst de apple- 

co'e; 
An' it sounded so mean to de Paradise-bird, 
After all he'd seen an' all he'd heard, 
Dat he felt 'isself turn all green in de face 
('Caze a he-bird feels any man's disgrace). 

13 



PLANTATION SONGS 

An' he trimbled an' he shivered, wid no 

pertense, 
An' he turned ev'ry color, an' he ain't sung 

sence! 



14 




"or Marse Adam." 



ADAM'S APPLE 

Ol' Marse Adam! 01' Marse Adam! 
Et de lady's apple up an' give her all de blame. 
Greedy-gut, greedy- gut, whar is yo' shame? 
or Marse Adam, man, whar is yo' shame? 

or Marse Adam! Ol' Marse Adam! 
Caught de apple in 'is neck an' made it mighty 

so'e. 
An' so we po' gran'chillen has to swaller roun' 

de co'e. 
or Marse Adam, man, whar is yo' shame? 

or Marse Adam! OF Marse Adam! 
Praised de lady's attitudes an' compliment 'er 

figur' — 
Did n't have de principle of any decent nigger, 
or Marse Adam, man, whar is yo' shame? 

or Marse Adam! OF Marse Adam! 
Et de lady's apple up an' give her all de blame. 
Greedy-gut, greedy-gut, whar is yo' shame? 
<JV Marse Adam, man, shame on you, shame! 

17 



WHEN DE SUN SWINGS LOW 

Look out for Mister Swaller when de sun 
swings low — 
Watch liim swoop an' sway ! 
He keeps a mighty dippin', like he don' know 
whar to go, 
A-saggin' every way. 
He starts sort o' nimbly, 
But he settles mighty wimbly 
When he scurries for de chimbley 
When de sun swings low. 

Does you see a cloud a-risin' when de sun 
SA^dngs low? 
Listen ef it sings; 
Hit's a swarm o' gray muskitties, 'bout a mil- 
lion strong or so, 
A-sharpenin' up dey stings. 
Dey keeps a mighty filin', 
An' dey tries to sing beguilin', 
But de 'skitties' song is rilin' 
When de sun swings low. 
18 



WHEN DE SUN SWINGS LOW 

Oh, de woods is all conversin' when de sun 
swings low — 
Bird an' beast an' tree ; 
Dey all communes together in de languages 
dey know. 
An' sperits rise to see. 
De nightmares prances, 
An' de wull-o'-wust dances, 
When de moonlight advances 
An' de sun swings low. 



19 



PLANTATION HOE SONG 

Heah wid my hoe I go — 
Row on row, row on row — 

Hoein' my corn: 
Five stalks for every hill — 
One for de rust to kill, 
One for de cutworm's bill. 

Three for de barn. 

Red-waistcoat robin sings 

Up 'mongs' de greenin' things. 

Mate on de nest; 
My pardner's nestin' too, 
Nestin' like hxmians do — 
Got lonesome, same as you, 

Robin Redbreast. 

So wid my hoe I go — 
Row on row, row on row — 

Proud as a king. 
Dry-rot an' damp mildew 
Mus' share in all I do; 
But Gord's my pardner, too — 

Dat's why I sing. 
20 




f-^: 



"So wid my hoe I go — 
Row on row, row on row — " 



PLANTATION HOE SONG 

Robin, he "knows it all," 
'Ca'se he can sing an' call — 

Dat's on'y half; 
Maybe a bird can shirk, 
Singin' like lazy clerk. 
But on'y men dat work 

Knows how to laugh. 

Whilst his slim mate an' him 
Built on de apple limb, 

I sowed my Ian', 
Three grains in every hole: 
One for de shovin' mole. 
One for de devil's toll. 

One for to stan'. 

So wid my hoe I go — 
Row on row, row on row — 

Laughin' along; 
Let robin sing at ease 
Whilst I hoes corn an' peas: 
Gord plants him cherry trees 

Jes for his song. 



23 



LADY-BABY 
LULLABY 

Go to sleep, my lady-baby, please, ma'am! 

Dream about de purty t'ings. 

Silky frocks an' finger-ring's, 

Fit to dazzle queens an' kings; 
Take yo' pick, my purty little lady-baby, 
please, ma'am! 

Refrain 

Don't be 'fraidy, baby. 
Mammy's little lady-baby — 
Bye — oh, bye — oh, b^^e! 

Go to sleep, my lady-baby, please, ma'am! 
Angels waits to fly wid you 
Ail de heavenly dream-Ian' th'ough — 
Twix' de stars an' up de blue — 

Sail away, my lily-one, my lady-baby, please. 



ma'am ! 



24 




"Tell 'em mammy's black an' ol', 
Human sins is on 'er soul, 
But she gyards de chillen's fol' — " 



LADY-BABY 

Refrain 

Don't be 'fraidy, baby, 
Mammy's little lady-baby — ■ 
Bye — oh, bye — oh, bye! 

Go to sleep, my lady-baby, please, ma'am! 
Little prince wid yaller hair 
Waitin' for my chil' somewhere, 
Whilst she's growin' tall an' fair; 

Sleep an' grow, my co'tly little lady-baby, 
please, ma'am! 

Refrain 

Don't be 'fraidy, baby. 
Mammy's little lady-baby — 
Bye — oh, bye — oh, bye ! 

Go to sleep, my lady-baby, please, ma'am! 
Walk in dreams wid angels white, 
Bainbow^-dressed an' crowned wid light. 
Smile an' mammy'll see de sight — 
Don't forgit to tell 'em 'bout ol' darky- 
mammy, please, ma'am! 
27 



PLANTATION SONGS 

Refrain 

Don't be 'fraidy, baby, 
Mammy's little lady-baby — 
Bye — oh, bye — oh, bye ! 

Tell 'em, yas, oh, tell 'em, tell 'em, please, 
ma'am! 
Tell 'em mammy's black an' ol', 
Hmnan sins is on 'er soul. 
But she gyards de ehillen's fol' — 
Tell 'em Gord done trus' 'er wid dis lady-baby, 
please, ma'am! 

Refrain 

Don't be 'fraidy, baby, 
Mammy's httle lady-baby. 
Bye — oh, bye — oh, bye! 



28 



WHY? 



"How come?" an' "Why?" an' "What's de 

use?" 
Is handy words for a lame excuse, 
But dey's mighty few words, ef you swing 'em 

right, 
But'U open doors an' let in light. 

"How come mammy-nuss mus' wash my face?" 
"Oh, why does high shoes have to lace?" 
"What is de use of bonnet or hat?" 
Dey's some nice chillen dat talks like dat. 

Mos' little folks is fuU o' "whys?" 
All disp'oportioned to dey size. 
But I knows one, I's proud to say, 
Dat swings his "whys" de other way: 

"How come mammy-nuss so good to me?" 
"What makes a bird sing in a tree?" 
"How big must I make my balloon 
When we go sailin' roun' de moon?" 

29 



PLANTATION SONGS 

Now "whys" like dese ain't onpolite, 

An' mammy she always answers right; 

So when his "whys" is all explained, 

De junior's bathed, an' dressed — an trained. 



30 



JUNIOR-MAN 

Junior-man is Mammy's boy, 
Don't keer ef he do destroy 
Boughten kites an' 'spensive clo'es, 
Dat's de way de juniors grows! 
But he plays so swif, some days, 
I jes' holds my bref an' prays. 
Lamed hisself las' week, po' dunce, 
Tryin' to ride two dogs at once, 
An', betwix' de two, dey flung 
Man so hard he bit his tongue! 

Junior's on'y gwine on seven. 
Tall enough to be eleven; 
Grows so fas' befo' my eyes, 
I can't keep up wid 'is size. 
Got to rise up tall an' straight 
An' take on a noble gait 
Fit to tote dat Randolph grace, 
'Gin' he takes his papa's place! 

Little toes is bruised wid knocks, 
Man will hide 'is shoes an' socks ; 
3 31 



PLANTATION SONGS 

Den, when Jack Fros' sniffs aroun'. 
On de white-hot erackly groun', 
Nothin' does but red-top boots 
On his httle freckled foots; 
Plegged his mama an' his aunts 
Tel dey put 'im in dem pants, 
So we laid his kilts away 
Tel mo' company comes to stay. 

Man, he'd ruther play wid Micks 
An' learn dey little Irish tricks 
Dan set up, quiet as a mouse. 
An' talk good grammar in de house; 
One thing sho, his mammy-nurse 
She gwine teach 'im to converse 
Jes' de way she hears his pa 
Set down talkin' wid 'is ma! 
Co'se, I has to do it slow, 
Caze he's constant runnin' so! 

Alius ketchin' doodle-bugs, 
'R pullin' out de bung-hole plugs — 
Lettin' good molasses was'e, 
Jes' to track it roun' de place. 
Now he's swallerin' o'ange-seeds, 
D'rec'ly tastin' cuyus weeds, 
32 



JUNIOR-MAN 

Smokin' corn-silk, chewin' spruce, 
Laws-a-mussy ! what's de use 
Gittin' flustered up an' vexed, 
Dreadin' what he gwine do next. 
Wonder is to me, I say, 
Man ain't pizened every day! 
Tripped, dis mornin', crost de rugs, 
Tryin' to smother me wid hugs 
Whilst he hid my tukky-f an — 
Sly, mischievious Junior-man! 



Man kin squeeze hisself, he say, 
Any place a hen kin lay! 
Bruised 'is little arms an' legs 
Crawlin' 'neath de barn for eggs; 
Got wedged in, one day, so tight, 
Nuver got 'im out tel night, 
But he hugged 'is little hat. 
Filled wid eggs, all whole, at dat! 
Man ain't nuver yit give in 
Over what he'd once-t begin! 
All my prayer to Heaven is, 
"Spare my life. Lord, tel he's riz!" 
Wouldn't want no other han' 
Leadin' up our Junior-man ! 
33 



PLANTATION SONGS 

But I nuver feels jes' right 
Tel Man's in his bed at night. 
Time he got los', here las' week. 
All I thought of was de creek, 
An' befo' dey rung de bell, 
I had snook an' searched de well; 
Co'se I know dat's lack o' faith, 
Jes' de way de ScrijDtm-e saith, 
Eut sometimes Man acts so sweet, 
Like a cherubim, complete, 
An' dem innocent blue eyes 
Seems like pieces o' de skies, 
Wliilst he questions me so queer 
Like he sca'cely b'longs do^\^i here. 
Dat's howcome my heart's so light 
When he's safe-t in bed at night. 

Alius begs to set up late, 
But at bedtime, 'long 'bout eight, 
I don't sca'cely smoove my lap 
'Fo' he starts to blink an' gap; 
An' I totes him up de stairs. 
Too far gone to say his prayers ; 
So, Z prays his soul to keep, 
Whilst I lays him down to sleep. 



34 



OL' MAMMY MUMBLE-LOW 
A PORTRAIT 

or Mammy Mumble-low, 
What mek you grumble so? 

Shoes on yo' feet, 

Good bread an' meat. 

No work to do 

De long day th'ough; 
Yit, Mammy Mumble-low, 
All day long you grimible so — 

or Mammy Mumble-low! 

or Mammy Mumble-low, 

I know huecome she grumble so ; 

Her foots can't fin' 

De way she gwine, 

Beeaze her wits 

Dey jes' fergits; 
An' dat's huecome she mumble so 
An' stumble so, an' tumble so — 

Po' or Mammy Mumble-low! 



35 



THE SISTERS 

Ol' black Moll, she ain' no doll; 

She ain' got ways an' manners 
Lak Silvy Grace dat steps in lace 

An' totes de s'ciety banners. 

Moll's black's a chimbly-back, 
An' short an' fat an' chunky; 

Game-makin' folks casts cruel jokes 
An' calls 'er "Molly-monkey." 

Silvy Grace, she 'iles 'er face 
Wid goose-grease an' pomatum, 

An' wrops dem kinks becaze she thinks 
Dem tallered strings'll straight 'em. 

Moll sweeps de yard ; her hands is hard 
As her ol' shuck-broom handle; 

Her pallet-bed's in granny's shed 
Whar de win' blows out de candle. 
36 



THE SISTERS 

De chillen knows who'll men' dey clo'es 
To save 'em gittin' lickin's; 

Dey finds Moll's do', jes same as po' 
Weak calves an' pippy chickens. 

Silvy's slim's a poplar-hmb, 
An' when she stai'ts a-rockin', 

She clair forgits how minutes flits — ' 
Her clocks is on 'er stockin'. 

Black Moll's wais' is any place 
Her secon'-handed frocks is, 

Which ain't a bit mo' neater fit 
'N what 'er shoes an' socks is. 

Silvy Grace, she leads de place 

In shoutin' 'bout salvation; 
She rips dem suits dat Molly flutes, 

An' wakes de whole plantation. 

Moll, she say, she hopes some day 

To study high behavior. 
An' when ol' gran' don't need 'er han', 

She 'lows to seek de Savior. 

When Silvy Grace lif's up 'er face 
She prays wid monst'ous yearnin' 
37 



PLANTATION SONGS 

For Gord to "call on po' lost Moll 
An snatch 'er fom de burninr 

An' Moll, po' wit, say she ain' fit 
To climb no golden stairs; 

But ef she do, she'll know it's th'ough 
De power o' Silvy's prayers! 



38 



JES HER WAY 

Oh, I loves a little widder, an' 'er name's Me- 
lindy Jane, 
An' she love me lakwise also — so she say ; 
But you can't put no dependence on my lady 
'Lindy Jane, 
'Caze she talks to all de ge'men dat-a-way; 
An' she looks so pleadin'. 
An' she ac's so misleadin'. 
But I don't keer what de high and 
mighties say, 
Caze she don't mean to sin 
When she tecks de ge'men in, 
Hit's only jes her way. 

When I see a stalk o' sugar-cane a-swayin' in 
de breeze, 
Wavin' "No," but noddin' "Yas" wid all its 
tips, 
Hit 'minds me o' my lady when she greets me 
wid a freeze. 
Whilst de love-words hangs a-trimblin' on 
'er lips. 

39 



PLANTATION SONGS 

Oh, she's cold as December, 
An' she's warm as September, 

Or she's off an' on jes like a April day; 
But to figgurfy de munts. 
She'll perform 'em all at once, 

But it's only jes her way. 

Dey's o' purty gals a plenty, down a-hoein' in 
de cane ; 
Twenty of 'em I could marry any day ; 
But I'd ruther be fooled by my lady 'Lindy 
Jane, 
Jes to work by 'er side in de hay, 
When she rakes so keerless. 
An' she flirt so fearless. 
When she drawin' for 'er labor by de 
day; 
But she don't mean no harm 
When she swindles on de farm; 
Hit's only jes her way. 

When she crouches on de mo'ners' bench wid 
sinners seekin' grace, 
An' she whispers to me, ^'Hol' me, lest I 
fall!" 

40 



JES HER WAY 

I sustains 'er sinkin' sperit wid my arm aroun' 
'er wais'. 
An' I hopes she'll be de las' to git de call. 
But I nuver holds 'er long 
'Fo' she busts into song — 
She kin git a call for glory any day ; 
Yit she dances back to sin 
When de fiddle-notes begin, 
But it's on'y jes her way. 



She's a mighty scnmiptious lady when you 
meets her on de block 
Gwine to chu'ch in all 'er secon'-handed 
clo'es ; 
But I'd ruther set beside 'er in 'er cotton-pick- 
in' frock, 
When she gethers clover blorsoms wid 'er 
toes. 

She's a saint an' she's a sinner, 
An' she ain't no new beginner 
When it comes to mixin' righteousness 
an' play; 
But de devil couldn't tame 'er. 
An' I doubt ef Gord'll blame 'er, 
'Caze He made 'er jes dat way, 
41 



PLANTATION SONGS 

I ain't got but one objection to my lady 

'Lindy Jane; 
Hit's 'er widderhood I hates wid all my 

might ; 
So we argTifies de topic, holdin' hands along 
de lane, 
Whilst I begs to kyore 'er only fault in sight ; 
An' my courage come a-floodin' 
('Caze she always marries sudden), 
An' I coaxes 'er to settle it today; 
But she answers wid a titter 
Dat I "needn't 'spec' to git her!" 
But dat's only jes her way. 



42 



THE FORTUNE-TELLER 
AS DESCRIBED BY TRIFLIN' SAM 

She's my lily-o'-de-valley, 

But she lives upon de hill, 

An' 'er valley hit's de alley 

Twix' de brick-yard an' de kiln; 

But she sa'nters 'mongs' de fan-pa'ms 
An' she reads out all de man-pa'ms, 

An' she tells each one a fortune ^oith a hun- 
dred-dollar bill. 

But she'll tell it for a quarter 

When de boys is short o' change, 

'Caze she say de seventh daughter, 

Wid a gif ' to kyore de mange, 
Is ordained by signs an' wonders, 
Midday moons, an' summer thunders, 

To distribute prophesyin' everywhar within 'er 
range. 

She kin feel de river risin' 
For a week befo' de boom, 
Whilst she brews a pot o' pizen 
An' she hums a chant o' doom 

43 



PLANTATION SONGS 

Tel she sees de cuss is lifted — 
Dat's de way my Lily's gifted! 
Does you wonder dat I loves 'er lak a valley- 
lily bloom? 

She's de color of a lemon 

Wid a little tinge o' brown. 

An' she interviews de gem'en 

In a mighty cuyus gown ; 

When you hear dem earrings jingle, 
You kin feel yo' goose-skin tingle. 

An' you trimbles lak de almonds o' yo' ears is 
faliin' down! 

She's a queen an' fit to dazzle 
When she wears dat crescent crown; 
An' she'll gether sprigs o' basil 
An' she'll 'stribute 'em aroun', 

Whilst she'll promise one a marri'ge 

An' to one a horse an' carri'ge 
An' she'll "glimpse de White House loomin' " 
for de mayor o' de town. 

Me, I sca'cely ever sees 'er, 
Less dey 's lots o' men aroun'; 
But Gord knows I strives to please 'er, 
'Caze I loves 'er walkin' groun'. 

44 



THE FORTUNE-TELLER 

But I's wo'e out to a frazzle 
C 'lectin' rabbit-foots an' basil 
An' dem sarpent-toofs an' eonjure-bones she 
dangles on 'er gown. 

An' I wades de swamps for pizens 
Though I sho is feared o' snakes, 
An' dark nights I views uprisin's 
Of de sperits in de brakes, 

'Caze she say a cross-eyed nigger 

Of my spindle, bow-leg figger 
Is ordained to 'sciver conjures in de ma'shes 
an' de lakes. 

An' so dat's de way I do do — 

Love don't mind a thing lak that — 

An' I spec' I is a hoodoo. 

But I don't know whar I's at 

When she calls me ''jduMev sweetness," 
But de height o' love's completeness 

Is de way she'll even trus' me whilst I pass 
aroun' de hat. 



45 



REVEREND MINGO MILLENYUM'S 
ORDINATION 

AS RELATED BY HIMSELF 

When I was a little pickanin', 

Down on Sweet-gum Plantation, 
I used to hear de preacher preach, 
An' screech an' screech an' screech an' screech, 
Expoundin' out salvation. 

He'd open up dat Bible-book 

Befo' de congergation, 
An', Sir, he'd call dem Scriptures out, 
An' shout an' shout an' shout an' shout, 

Widout no education. 

He nuver knowed 'is A, B, C's, 

Much less pernounciation, 
But when he'd focus on a page, 
An' rage an' rage an' rage an' rage, 

Gord sent interpertation. 
46 




•He'd call dem Scriptures out." 



REVEREND MILLENYUM 

He'd show de devil's forked tail 

Out clair, in his noration, 
He'd h'ist dat pitch-fork up on high, 
An' cry an' cry an' cry an' cry. 

An' p'int insinuation, 



An' I'd brace up an' clench de pew. 

An' try to keep my station, 
Whilst he'd light up de fumes of hell. 
An' yell an' yell an' yell an' yell, 
Tel we could smell damnation! 



One day, I swooned off in a tranch, 

F'om brimstone suffocation, 
An' red-hot Sins wid forked tails 
Riz up wid w^ails an' wails an' wails. 
An' stopped my circulation. 



Den I slid bumpin' down to Hell, 

My senses on vacation; 
An' w^hen I got whar Satan is, 
Whar sinners bile an' sizz an' sizz, 

For his partick'lar ration, 
4 49 



PLANTATION SONGS 

I warn't no mo'n a cushion o' pins 

Big as de whole creation, 
An' every pin was a red-hot Sin, 
A-stickin' in an' a-stickin' in — 

Tel I los' all sinsation. 

I come th'ough on de tranch-room flo', 

Wid de seekers on probation; 
An' when I heerd 'em screech an' screech 
'^A babe an' sucklinf called to preach!" 

Dat was my ordination! 



50 



ROSES 
PLANTATION LOVE SONG 

Oh, my Rose ain't white. 
An' my Rose ain't red. 

An' my Rose don't grow 
On de vine on de shed. 

But she lives in de cabin 
Whar de roses twines, 

An' she wrings out 'er clo'es 
In de shade o' de vines. 

An' de red leaves fall. 
An' de white rose sheds, 

Tell dey kiver all de groun' 
Whar my brown Rose treads. 

An' de butterfly comes, 
An' de bumble-bee, too. 

An' de hummin'-bird hums 
All de long day th'ough. 
51 



PLANTATION SONGS 

An' dey sip at de white, 
An' dey tas'e at de red. 

An' dey fly in an' out 

O' de vines roun' de shed 

While I comes along 

An' I gethers some buds. 

An' I mecks some remarks 
About rendiin' an' suds. 

But de birds an' de bees 
An' de rest of us knows 

Dat we all hangin' roun' 
Des ter look at my Rose. 



52 



COME ALONG, MISS NANCY 

Oh, Nancy Ann is hard to beat — 

Come along, Miss Nancy! 
Shuffle right along an' twis' yo' feet — 

Come along, Miss Nancy! 
She wears nmnber 'leven, but it fits 'er neat, 
An' 'er mouf is a rose an' 'er lips as sweet 
As de sugar-cane juice when it turns to cuite — 
Come along. Miss Nancy! 
Oh, Miss Nancy, 

You's my fancy! 

You is de neates' 
An' de fleetes' 

An' de sweetes' 
Gal in town! 

My white folks is rich as a cup o' cream — 

Come along. Miss Nancy! 
Dey money flows out in a silver stream — 

Come along. Miss Nancy! 
Dey'll give us a dance eve'y Sat'd'y night. 
An' a boat on de river when de moon is bright. 
An' you won't know de diffe'nce but what 
you's white — 

53 



PLANTATION SONGS 

Come along. Miss Nancy! 
Oh, Miss Nancy, 

You's my fancy! 

You is de neates' 
An' de fleetes' 

An' de sweetes' 
Gal in town! 



54 



TIGER-LILIES 

Oh, my little yaller Lily wid de freckles 'erost 
'er nose, 
An' 'er purty yaller ruffles roun' de aidges 
of 'er clo'es, 
She's my speckled tiger-lily, 
An' I giggles tell I'm silly 
When she nods to me a-passin' f 'om de win- 
der whar she sews. 

An' I looks at my bare foots, an' at my dirty 

gallus strings. 
An' I knows de mules is waitin' for me at de 
cattle springs. 
But wild horses couldn't hinder 
Me from buzzin' to her winder. 
An' a-sayin' 'bout a million dozen honey-softie 
things. 

You may talk about yo' daisy, you may brag 

about yo' rose. 
But de spotted tiger-lily is de sweetest flower 

dat grows. 
55 



PLANTATION SONGS 

All de yether blooms looks jaded. 
An' dey colors seems all faded, 
When hit kurtsies to de gyarden in its yaller 
furbelows. 

Ef you seen my Lily standin' on 'er little yal- 
ler toes 
Out behin' de cedars 'mongst de tiger-lily 
rows, 
'Cep'n' dat de gal is taller. 
An' de flowers' bomiets smaller. 
You couldn't designate 'er when she's hangin' 
out 'er clo'es. 

Once-t I called her "Tiger-Lily," des to see de 

wRj she'd do. 
An' she up an' 'spon', "I ain't a bit mo' yal- 
lerer 'n you!" 
An' wid dat she sudsed me over, 
Den she rolled me in de clover. 
Oh, she's a tiger an' a lily, an' a tiger-lily too. 



56 



LUCINDY 

I 
When Lucindy's eye do shine 
Lak a ripe, ripe muscadine, 

An' 'er lips sticks out 

In a tantalizin' pout, 
I counts Lucindy mine. 

II 

When she droop 'er eyes so shy, 
Lak she gmne ter pass me by. 
An' des afore she pass 
Drap 'er hankcher on de grass, 
My courage rises high. 

in 
When she sets up in de choir. 
An' 'er voice mounts higher an' higher. 
In unisom wid Jim's, 
A-singin' o' de hymns, 
I sets back an' puspire. 
57 



PLANTATION SONGS 

IV 

When she lean down on 'er hoe, 
'N' dig de san' up wid 'er toe, 

An' look todes me an' sigh, 
Des lak she 'mos' could cry, 
I don't know whar ter go. 

V 

When she walk right down de aisle 
At de cake-walk wid a smile, 

An' she an' yaller Jake 
Ketch han's an' win de cake, 
I steam an' sizz an' bile. 

VI 

While she claim me for her beau. 
An' den dance de reel wid Joe; 

An' when she swing me by 
Squeeze my han' on de sly — • 
I don' know whe'r or no. 

VII 

Tell de trufe, Lucindy's ways 
Gits me so upsot some days 

Dat, 'cep'n dat I knew 
Dat's des de way she do, 
I'd do some damage, 'caze 
58 




'Tell de trufe, Lucindy's ways 
Gits me so upsot some days — " 



LUCINDY 

VIII 

Some days when she do de \vus', 
Ef 'twarn't dat I hates a fuss, 

An' loves 'er th'ough an' th'ough 
Wid all de ways she do, 
De least Fd do'd he cuss. 



61 



OH, LOVE'S MY MEAT 

Oh, love's my meat, oh, love's my drink, 

Oh, love's my daily fare; 
Asleep, awake, forgit or think, 
I breathes it in the air! 
Oh^ love, 
I hear 
You hummin' 'mongs' de bees! 
Ohj love, 
I hear 
You singin' in de trees! 

Oh, love an' me goes hand in hand. 

When I got a hand to sj)are! 
A loveless life's a sinkin' sand, 
A drowndin' soul's despair. 
Oh, love, 
I hear 
You hummin' 'mongs' de bees! 
Oh, love, 
I hear 
You singin' in de trees! 
62 



OH, LOVE'S MY MEAT 

Love made St. Peter walk de sea, 

It built oV Noay's ark. 
It lit de stars f er you an' me 
To squench de blindin' dark. 
Oh^ love, 
I see 
You buzzin' 'mongs' de bees! 
Oh^ love, 
I hear 
You singin' in de trees! 



63 



WINNIE 

When Winnie steps out o' de stable, 

You nuver would know — less you knowed — 

Dat she had been, sence she was able 

To reach on tiptoe to de table, 
De biggest humbugger dat growed! 

When she warn't no bigger'n a minute, 

I f ollered 'er roun' like a pup ; 
We'd sneak to de creek an' wade in it — 
She'd tuck up 'er frock an' I'd pin it — 

An' dat's d'es de way we growed up. 

One day when she tromped on a briar, 
'Way down by de gin-wagon track, 

I stepped in de bramble right by 'er, 

Wid my foots a-stingin' like fire. 
An' toted 'er home on my back. 

Of co'se, I wa5 des like 'er brother — 

I'm fetchin' dis up des for proofs — 
We could o' sot down close together 
An' pulled out de thorns for each other, 
Excep'n' n'air one had front toofs. 
64 



i 



WINNIE 

An' so she belt on ter my shoulder, 

An' talked 'er sweet talk in my ear; 
Let on dat she liked me to hoi' 'er, 
An' all sech as dat, tell I toF 'er — 
Well, 'tain't no use tellin' it here. 



But when we got down ter de open, 

Instid o' me cross-cuttin' short, 
I tuck de long road, an' it slopin'. 
An' limped all de way, des a-hopin' 
She'd 'preshuate me like she ought. 



But after me packin' 'er keerful, 

An' settin' 'er down at 'er do', 
Instid o' her thankin' me cheerful, 
De way she cut up was des fearful. 
She slid f 'om my back to de flo'. 



An' 'fo' I could gether my senses 
Dat gal she was dancin' a jig; 

She des had been makinf pertences! 

An' here I had dumb over fences 
Wid her — an' she weighed like a pig. 
65 



PLANTATION SONGS 

Of co'se dis was whilst we was chillen, 

But when we growed up it was wuss; 
De way she'd pervoke me was killin', 
Tell sometimes I'd feel like a villain, 
An', Lord, but I'd in'ardly cuss! 



She'd ax me to tote 'er pail for 'er, 

An' walk by my side, an' she'd laugh. 
An' tell me some joy or some sorrer 
Dat fretted 'er min'. Den to-morrer 
She'd git me ter hoi' off de calf 



Whilst Pete, a big boy dat I hated, 

Would come an' stan' clost by 'er side 
An' stiddy de cow, while I waited 
'Way off 'crost de yard, so frustrated 
Dat some days I purty nigh cried. 



Dey wasn't no principle in 'er, 

Come down ter sech doin's as dat, 
'Caze Pete was a miser'ble sinner, 
An' 'cep' I was Httler an' thinner. 
Some days I'd o' laid 'im out flat! 
66 



WINNIE 

Well, sir, dat's de way Winnie acted — 

She fooled me straight th'ough all my life; 
An' when she had got me clair 'stracted. 
Tell I run at Pete, an' got whachted. 

She turned roun', an' — well, she's my wife. 



L ENVOI 

My 'spe'unce wid Peter was bitter, 

But sometimes it pays ter git hit; 
'Caze Winnie's a curious critter. 
An' 'cep' I had resked all ter git 'er, 
I'd be holdin' off de calf yit. 



67 



WASHERWOMAN'S HYMN 
"THE LORD WALKED IN THE GARDEN" 

He walked in de gyarden in de cool o' de day — 

Lord, whar kin dat gyarden be? 
I'd turn my weary foots dat way 

An' pray Thee cool de day for me. 
Lord, Lord, wcdkin' in de gyarden. 

Open de gate to me! 
rd nuver be afeard o' de flamin' sword, 

Ef I could walk wV Thee. 

He walked in de gyarden in de cool o' de day ; 

He sa'ntered 'mongs' de shrubbery; 
He nuver turned aroun' to look dat way — 

1 wusht He'd watched dat apple-tree. 
Lord, Lord, trouble in de gyarden! 

Ev^-ry-bod-y knows 
Dat sins begins wid needles an' pins 
An' de scan'lous need o' clo'es. 

He walked in de gyarden in de cool o' de day — 
My bleachin'-grass ain't fittin' for Thee; 

But dat Bible gyar den's so far away, 
So, Lord, come bless my fiel' for me! 
68 



WASHERWOMAN'S HYMNi 

Lord, Lord, come into my gyarden! 

EvWy-bod-y knows 
How Eve's mistake when she listened to de 
snake 

Still keeps me washin' clones. 

He walked in de gyarden in de cool o' de day — 

Ef I could stand an' see Him pass, 
Wid de eye o' faith, as de Scripture saith, 

I'd shout heah on my bleachin'-grass. 
Lord, Lord, my little gyarden 

Ain't no place for Thee; 
But come an' shine wid a light divine 
An' fioo my faith for me! 

Glo-ry, glory, hallelujah! 
Peter, James, an' John, 
Behol' de Light — an de raiment whitef 
Yo' visiom 's passin on! 



69 



DE STAR IN DE EAST 

Dey's a star in de eas', on a Chris'mas morn, 

Rise up, shepherd, an' f oiler! 
Hit '11 lead yer to de place whar de Savior's 
born, 
Rise up, shepherd, an' f oiler! 
Ef you tek good heed to de angel's words. 
You'll forgit yo' flocks an' forgit yo' herds. 
An' rise up, shex)herd, an' f oiler I 
Leave yo' sheep, an' 
Leave yo' lamb, an' 
Leave yo' ewe, an' 
Leave yo' ram, an' 

Rise up, shepherd, an' f oiler! 
Toiler, foller, foUer, foller, 
Rise, O sinner, rise an' foller, 
Foller de star 
F'om near an' far — 
Foller de star o' Bethlehem! 

Oh, dat star still shines dis Chris'mus day, 

Rise, O sinner, an' foller! 
Wid 'n' eye o' faith you can see its ray, 

Rise, O sinner, an' foller! 
70 



DE STAR IN DE EAST 

Hit'll light yo' way th'ough de fields o' fros' 
By way o' de stable to de shinin' Cross. 
Rise, O sinner, rise an' f oiler! 
Leave yo' father, 
Leave yo' mother, v 

Leave yo' sister, 
Leave yo' brother, 

An' rise, O sinner, an' f oiler! 
FoUer, foUer, foUer, foUer, 
Rise, O sinner, rise an' foller, 
FoUer de star 
F'om near an' far — 
Foller de star o' Bethlehem! 



71 



OH, SHOUTINGS MIGHTY SWEET 
PLANTATION PARTING HYMN 

Oh, shoutin's mighty sweet 

When yer shout when yer meet,^ 
An' shek han's roun', an' say: 

"Bless Gord fur de meetin'! 

Bless Gord fur de greetin'!" 
Shoutin' comes mighty easy dat a-way. 

But ter shout when yer part, 

An' ter shout f 'om yo' heart, 
When yer gwine far away, far away, 

Wid a lettin' go han's 

An' a-faein' strange lan's, 
Shoutin' comes mighty hard sech a day. 

"Glory" sticks in yo' th'oat 

At de whistle o' de boat, 
Dat cuts lak a knife thoo yo' heart; 

An' "Hallelujah" breaks 

At de raisin' o' de stakes 
Dat loosens up de ropes ter let 'er start. 

72 



OH, SHOUTIN'S MIGHTY SWEET 

But ef yer fix yo' eye 

On de writin' in de sky, 
Whar de f ar'wells is all strucken out, 

An' read de prormus clair 

Of another geth'rin' there. 
You kin say far' well, my brothers, with a shout. 

Den shout, brothers, shout! 

Oh, tell yo' vict'ry out. 
How neither death nur partin' kin undo yer. 

Look fust at yo' loss, 

But last at de Cross, 
Singin' glory, glory, glory hallelujahl 



73 



VOICES 

I RECKON I is, lak you say, sir, 
Pa'lized an' half 'stracted an' blin', 

An' maybe de voice dat I hear is 
De win' when it comes thoo de pine. 

I can't 'spute no white pusson's knowledge, 
I don't know de hows nor de whys, 

An' when I hears heavenly voices, 

Dat seem like dey comes f'om de skies, 

I don't fret myself wid book questions, 
But listens ter ketch eve'y note. 

An' ef a bird plays me harp music. 
Don't s'picion de shape of 'is th'oat. 

De katydid, close- 1 to my shoulder, 
I knows he des saws wid 'is wings. 

But when de Lord sends 'im ter cheer me, 
He sets in de vines an' he sings! 

He sings songs I half disremember, 

An' all o' mammy's oF hjonns 
She used ter hum whiles she was washin' 

Right onder deze same ol' tree limbs. 

74 



VOICES 

An' even de brook dat's all dried up, 

Dat used ter run down f'om de springs, 

De katydid mixes its tricklin' 

Right in wid de songs mammy sings, 

An' often she'll stop in a measure, 
An' I'll hear 'er dip down 'er clo'es, 

An' wring 'em an' bat 'em an' rench 'em — 
All keepin' good time as she goes. 

Yas, I knows de katydid's music 
Ain't no mo'n shufflin' o' feet. 

But dat nuver hindered 'im learnin' 
To sing other folks's songs sweet. 

Dis ol' pine-tree over my cabin 

Dat's growed th'ough a hole in de shed, 

I knows it's all blighted an' knotted, 
An' half of its needles is dead. 



I know whar de thunder-bolt struck it 
Its heart is split open an' bare, 

An' folks say de spiders is tuck it 

An' swung dey gray webs ever'where. 

75 



PLANTATION SONGS 

]But when de night win' passes th'ough it, 
An' all de plantation's asleep, 

Hit sings me some heavenly promise 
To 'mind me I'm in de Lord's keep. 

Dey ain't a dry twig or a needle 

But sings its purtikilar note, 
An' even de holler dat's blasted 

Seem like it turns inter a th'oat. 
• ••■•• 

Yas, I knows I's pa'lized an' blinded, 

An' half 'stracted, des lak you say, 
An' co'se I ain't got educatiom 

To splain aU my comforts away. 

So when a ol' bumble-bee fetches 
Some story 'bout when I was young, 

Dat I done forgot, 'cep' in snatches — 
I don't make 'im show me 'is tongue. 

I don't ax no impident questions; 

Jes listens ter ketch eve'y note. 
An' when a bird sings me harp music, 

Don't s'picion de shape of 'is th'oat. 



76 



O MY SOUL, YOU MUS' BE WALKIN' IN YO' 
SLEEP 



O MY soul, you mus' be walkin' in yo' sleep, 
'Caze you nuver seems to heed de danger 
lines ; 
When you skirts de verges whar de water's 
deep, 
An' you leads my foots to thorns an' tangled 
vines — 
Yas, I's feared you sho is walkin' in yo' sleep. 

Walkin', walkin' — gropin', gropin' — 
Groj)in' in yo' sleep; 

O my soul, I's hopin', hopin' 
Dat you'll wake befo' you stumble in yo' sleep. 



O my soul, you mus' be walkin' in yo' sleep. 
Or you wouldn't dast to stray so fur from 
home, 
Whar de gurglin' laugh and playin' fountains 
leap 

77 



PLANTATION SONGS 

Tel de conscience-call is drownded in de 
foam. 
Better quit dis packless strayin' in yo' sleep! 

Walkin', laughin' — laughin', gropin* — 
Gropin' in yo' sleep ; 

O my laughin' soul, I's hopin' 
Dat yo' laugh won't turn to weepin' in yo' 
sleep. 

O my soul, you mus' be walkin' in yo' sleep 

'Les' you'd reco'nize de tempter by yo' side 
Wid de sugar tongue an' swishin' flounces' 
sweep — 

Look ag'in, my soul, bef o' you take a bride ! 
O my soul, you better wake up f 'om yo' sleep. 

Walkin', walkin' — gropin', gropin' — 
Gropin' in yo' sleep ; 

O my blinded soul, I's hopin' 
Dat you'll reco'nize yo' danger in yo' sleep. 

Yas, you better wake, my soul, wake f 'om yo' 
sleep, 
'Fo' you signs away yo' freedom in a dream; 
Rub yo' eyes an' look — Oh, look befo' you 
leap ! 
An' beware de pleasu'e boats on Jordan's 
stream! 

78 



O MY SOUL 

Wake, my soul, an' stop yo' walkin' in yo' 
sleep ; 

Gropin', walkin' — walkin', gropin' — 
In de dark o' sleep; 

Soon you'll wake, I's hopin', hopin', 
'Caze it's mighty dang'ous walkin' in yo' sleep. 



79 



OH, DE LORD, HE WALKED DE WATERS 

Oh, de Lord, He walked de waters — oh, de 
Lord, He trod de sea — 
Be still, ye waves, be still! 
or Peter tried to f oiler, but his faith was weak 
o' knee — 
Be still, ye waves, be still! 

Be still— be stiU— 
Oh, surgin' tide, be still! 
Though yo' heart is troubled waters an' yo' 
soul, it is a sea; 
Be still — ^be still. 
An' fear no storm or ill. 
An' de feet dat ca'med de sea will bless de 
waves o' life for thee. 

Oh, de Savior healed de blind an' tol' de rich 
man "FoUer Me"— 
Be still, my heart, be still; 
An' ol' Zachaeus, he watched 'Im f'om a syca- 
mory tree — 
Be still, my heart, be still; 
80 



HE WALKED DE WATERS 

Be still— be still— 
Oh, doubtin' soul, be still; 
Plenty trees of observation on de way to 
Jericho — 
Be still— be still— 
Cas' yo' eyes above de hill; 
An' de Savior '11 see you watchin' an' He'll 
call to you, I know. 

Be still— be still— 
Oh, surgin' life, be still. 
For yo' heart is troubled waters an' yo' soul, 
it is a sea; 
Be still— be still— 
An' fear no storm or ill, 
Let de feet dat blessed de ocean ca'm de: 
waves o' life fer thee. 



81 



OH, HEABEN'S MIGHTY CLOSE 

Oh, Heaben's mighty close, 

Yas, close, yas, close, 
Ef you got a yeah to listen 

To de hos', to de hos', 
Ef you got a yeah to listen to de sto-ry! 

Oh, Heaben's mighty nigh, 

Yas, nigh, yas, nigh, 
Ef you got a' eye fer visions 

In de sky, in de sky, 
Ef you got a' eye fer visiors o' de glo-ry! 



82 



SONGS OF LIFE AND LOVE 



THE SEA OF PEACE 

I STAND above a white-rimmed sea: 
Its deeps are miine, its mirrored height; 

Mine its low plaint of mystery, 
All mine its glee-song of delight. 

Mine its strong soul; its body mine; 

I lave me in its kind embrace; 
In dreams upon its buoyant brine 

It gives me back a cherished face. 

Mayhap it helps me understand 

The language of infinity, 
The secret of the shifting sand. 

The testimony of the sea. 

I am above all circumstance, 
I am beyond all power to hurt ; 

No more I shrink from sorrow's lance 
So with all strength am I begirt. 
85 



SONGS OF LIFE AND LOVE 

I've tasted of the bitter sup; 

Earth's bulwarks all are proven frail; 
Yet sweetened now is life's low cup, 

All hallowed: 'tis my Holy Grail. 

Above its wrecks of ships and men 
The placid ocean shows no scars; 

Above my deeps where storms have been 
My tranquil soul reflects the stars. 



86 



CONSECRATION 

Were I a crevice in a crumbling wall, 

Mayhap some bird would let me hold her 

nest ; 
O blessed consciousness of home and rest ! 
I'd feel the throbbing of her tender breast 

And hear her answer to her fond mate's call. 

Or, failing this, I'd be the empty space; 
'Twere better than a fullness less than best. 
And reverent longing for a homeless guest 
Would fill me, till my emptiness were blest: 

Where welcome waits is ne'er a cheerless place. 

To be the darkness when the lamp is out — 
To free tired eyes from tyranny of light 
Which limits them to trivial things in sight — 
To hold the kiss of Love and know no 
fright — 

O blessed darkness, thou art Love's redoubt! 

I'd be the dark, earth's confidence to own; 
The venerable darkness, first to hear 
87 



SONGS OF LIFE AND LOVE 

God's spoken word, and, trembling, disap- 
pear; 

The first His clemency to know — to wear. 
In equal reign mth light, a star-gemmed 
crown. 

I'd be the silence, rather than the song — 
The stillness which abides when it is sung; 
And, better than the sun, its moons among, 
I'd be the azure space in which are flung 

All constellations which to God belong. 

I'd be that last abstraction which abides, 
DiiFused, invisible, through time and space — 
Which thinks the roses — holds the stars in 

place — 
Wliich shines in radiance from a mother's 
face, 
And, shy as opal flame, illumes the bride's. 

I'd be the stir of hfe within the clod 

When it conceives the image of a flower; 
I'd be the throbbing secret of the bower; 
Yes, rd he Love — iny nothingness all 
power; 
But, wait! How dare one say, "I would be 
GOD!" 

88 



ALLEGIANCE 

To be a broken promise? Hideous thing! 
Yet who am I to all God's ethics know? 
If grandsires promised for me seons ago 
That I should quibble tlius or simj)er so, 

As broken pledge I fain would meet my king. 

I'd e'en disown the vow myself had made. 
If yesterday I let the tempter in 
And he and I a compact did begin 
Committing this frail vessel unto sin — 

I'd be that pledge's forfeit, undismayed. 

For I am not mine own, but hold in trust 
Myself, slight emanation of high God, 
And though my human guardianship may 

nod. 
Till conscience wakes it with a sharpened 
prod, 
I render Heaven its own, because I must. 



89 



DISARMAMENT 

Faint doubters of Life's brooding constancy. 
Lay reverent ears against the heart of her 
In joyous Springtime — when her soul's 
astir 

With vestal tremors o'er the mystery. 

List her maternal throb, ye carping host. 
In Summer drowse and languor, while the 

blaze 
Of sun returned in daisies stars the haze 

Foreboding Autumn's titillating frost. 

Mark ye her bounding pulse when Winter's 
blades 
Come charging for her heart — to find it fire, 
And all his swords are melted in desire, 

Safe in Life's holy hibernating shades. 

Awaiting thus the resurrection morn 
Of Spring again with age-long surety, 
Neath Winter's truce, in all security — 

So cycling immortality is born. 

90 



DISARMAMENT 

What fires lie hidden in the heart of Life 
Be they not lit of God, Himself to prove, 
Be they not dross-consuming fires of Love? 

'Tis fire divine must fuse the swords of strife. 

O heart of man, invite the enemy 
But to disarm him with Love's holy flame. 
Forever putting enmity to shame, 

And ye remain as brothers, thou and he! 



91 



BEWARE THE LEAVEN 

Extreme abasement oft is vanity; 

'Tis conscious seKliood begs to be effaced; 
Proud ego would be formally erased, 
As if it mattered how were atoms placed. 

Beware the leaven of the Pharisee. 

Better the field at sunrise and the plow; 
By earth and sky both arm and courage 

nerved; 
The day's rewards were aye to him who 

served. 
And bread precarious to such as swerved. 
Man's royal gems are sweat-beads on his brow. 



92 



MARY 

To Judah's maid an angel came: 

Prepare, dear heart, prepare. 
When the angel came to the little maid, 
And she heard his voice, she was sore afraid 
At the sorrowful, beautiful words that he said : 

"O Mary, maid, prepare." 

Maid Mary waits at the stable door ; 

Prepare, dear Lord, prepare 
A little bed for Thy maid to rest, 
For she stands without by Thy strange be- 
hest — 
Begs but a place to lay Thy guest — 

For Mary, Lord, prepare. 

A mother-maid lies white within, 

God's circle round her hau\ 
Dumb kneeling brutes the wonder see; 
A star attests the mystery. 
While sage and shepherd reverently 

Bring praise and incense rare. 
93 



SONGS OF LIFE AND LOVE 

A virgin-mother-queen's in state, 

Her ermine robe her hair. 
The stable dim a palace is; 
Its moss-rimmed troughs are chalices ; 
There lips whereon no malice is 

Drink to the royal heir. 



94 



BETHLEHEM 

Oh, Bethlehem, starred Bethlehem, 
Bright with the coronation gem 
Upon thy brow through history, 
Whose eyes have seen the mystery, 
Hail brow and eyes and diadem — 
Hail, Bethlehem! 

Dear Bethlehem, old BetlJehem, 
'Twas thine the tide of time to stem. 
The world was tired; its grizzled folk, 
Hope- weary, heard the centuries' stroke, 
When cry of birth arrested them 
From Bethlehem. 

Hence, Bethlehem, young Bethlehem, 
Thine ancient days thou mayst contemn 
While all the cycles since engage 
To celebrate thy youthful age. 
Earth's years are young; she counteth them 
From Bethlehem. 

Oh, Bethlehem, Queen Bethlehem, 
Of hallowed lap and diadem, 

95 



SONGS OF LIFE AND LOVE 

Thy Kohinoor, it is a star; 
Thy hands are white as lilies are; 
Thy song is sorrow's requiem, 
Queen Bethlehem. 



96 



THE GENTLING YEARS 

All my days I will go softly, softly down the 

homeward slope, 
Crimson certitudes of childhood tempered now 
to amber hope 
Shining through the seaward gate, 
While the kindly winds are blowing 
And the genthng years come snowing — 
Snowing on my willing pate. 

Faith in life and faith in loving — faith in des- 
tiny supreme. 
Led my soul through dreary marshes, as a star 
seen in a dream 
Brightened tlirough its dim estate ; 
Precious star still clearly glowing 
Though gray gentling years are snow- 
ing— 
Snowing on my bended pate. 

What would life be but for dreaming, with a 
faith-star e'er in sight? 

Think of naught beyond its stillness of a some- 
times starless night, 
97 



SONGS OF LIFE AND LOVE 

In the awful calm of fate! 
So I praise the fitful blowing 
Of the gentling years which, snowing, 

Bid my eager spirit wait. 

And I bear their truce to battle — truce to sor- 
row and despair, 
Silent gift of winds and weather — conquerors 
of my rebel hair — 
As I near the little gate; 
In my face cool sea-spray blowing 
Through pale genthng years which, 
snowing, 
Lay white hands to bless my pate. 

l'enyoi 
If my soul be white as snow is, clear as light 

my spirit's ray. 
When at last it strikes the prism of the ocean, 
on its way 
Through the gate against the sea, 
Voila! Colors for my sailing! 
Rainbow stripes o'er stars prevailing; 
Who says death shall conquer me ! 



98 



SITTING BLIND BY THE SEA 

Oh, sing me a song of the sea, my son — 

Oh, sing me a song of the sea! 
For my eyes they are blind and I j)eer in the 

dark. 
But my man-heart leaps when the sea-dogs 

bark ; 
Can thy young eyes follow the yelping pack? 
Wild, bounding streaks of yellow and black. 
Do they track over meadows of seething foam? 
And will they be fetching the white gulls 
home? 
Mayhap they'll retrieve one to me — 
To me, sitting blind by the sea. 

To me in my door by the sea, sitting blind, 

To me, sitting blind in my door. 
Days be when a battle is raging afar. 
And the tramp of the cavalry crossing the bar 
Comes nearer and clearer with many a gun. 
So plain to my ears while I sit in the sun 



SONGS OF LIFE AND LOVE 

That I'm sure there'll be many a rambow at 

play 
In and out of the manes and the tails of the 
spray, 
As the chargers plunge down in the roar 
To me, sitting blind in my door. 

To me, sitting blind in the night by the sea, 

Sitting blind by the sea in the night. 
Times be when she. purrs, a gray cat, at my 

knee — 
Oh, the glow on the hearth and the mother 

and thee ! 
'Twas a hitch m her rocker that memory kept. 
And I'd know when it eased that our wee lad- 
die slept. 
The sea has it all, to the creak in her chair. 
And I, peering blind, see the glint in her hair ; 
And it floods my lone soul with delight. 
Sitting dark in my door in the night. 

To me, sitting dark by the sea in my door. 

To me, by the sea sitting blind. 
Rare times comes a silence as still as a cave. 
And I know 'tis His night when He walks on 
the wave; 

100 



SITTING BLIND BY THE SEA 

And, "strong in the faith," with my feet on the 

land. 
My soul speeds beside Him. I'd strive for 

His hand 
To lay on my eyes, but ah! ever before 
I reach Him, He's gone — ^and I back in my 
door. 
All alone, by a whiff of the wind. 
In my door by the sea, sitting blind. 

Still it's sing me a song of the sea, my son — 

Oh, sing me a song of the sea! 
And sorrow's slow leaven I'll nurse nevermore. 
For the soul of the sea signals mine on the 

shore, 
Deep calling to deep, high answering high. 
Till my bosom, like Ocean's, is gemmed with 

the sky; 
And when the moon comes — crown pearl of 

Night's crest. 
Thy mother's white soul lies c^ain on my 
breast; 
And with this Decoration — and thee — 
I am knighted and rich by the sea. 



101 



COMPANIONSHIP 

Beside a winter sea I held her hand ; 
The sun, low sunken in a molten glare, 
Revealed a flitting radiance in her hair 
When darkness fell; then tui'ned we to the 

land; 
Reluctantly we climbed the oozing sand 
With tightened grasp, and, loving, scorned 

to care 
That moaning waves' complaining stilled us 
there 
Against the din of earth's incessant band. 

O vast eternity, thou roaring sea 

Which through both day and darkness call- 
est on — 
O noisy time which babblest constantly 

In earthly clamorings from sun to sun — 
What if, hushed by ye twain, they silenced be. 

If two may fare together — walk as one? 



102 



APRIL DREAMING 

Impulse of violets wakes the air 

In vestal shade where dozes 
On down of mist miladi fair, 
And when shy sunbeams gem her hair 
She smiles into the rainbow there; 

'Tis April, dreaming roses. 

Bright wings of unborn butterflies 

And leaves of daffodillies 
Drift gaily through her dreamland skies, 
While dim and white and angelwise. 
On filmy moon-wings float and rise 

The souls of Easter lilies. 



103 



THE BLUE 

My childhood eyes 
Loved flecked skies 

With fancy-varied scenes, 
Wliere ^osion dear 
Or far or near 

Surveyed Hope's fair demesnes. 

In womanhood 
When life was good, 

Its round horizon "ours," 
We loved, we tr^^o, 
The steadfast blue; 

Our knees were 'mongst the flowers. 

So, God of light. 
When looming night 

Impairs my lonely view, 
Take Tliou away 
My sense of gi'ay 
But spare my starht blue. 

104 



SERVICE 

To be a knot upon a fallen log 

Were no mean thing, if my slight eminence 
Were clad in green for some poor worm's 

defense ; 
Or, I might be, O happy recompense, 

A sunny isle for creatures of the bog; 

The timid tortoise would essay my crown 
To prison glints of sunshine in his shell, 
And birds the world calls dumb would come 

and tell, 
With breasts to mine, their joys and sorrows 
feU, 
And they and I a common kinship own. 



105 



THE CYCLE 

I 

NATURE'S RHYTHM 

In ebb and flow, with come and go. 

Incessant, o'er and o'er. 
By wave and tide, as man a bride. 

The ocean woos the shore. 

So soft caressed, so urged, so pressed, 

The willing sand is won 
To jSTeptime's bed; the twain are wed. 

And continents are born. 

In flash of fire, flame-tongued desire 

Takes heaven by assault; 
One lurid breath, then — is it death? 

Is law of life at fault? 

Each frenzied flare of sentient air, 

Ripe for this fiery kiss, 
Sends teeming waves of passion slaves 

Down destiny's abyss. 
106 



THE CYCLE 

Begot of flame and brides sans name, 
The amorous breeze is theirs 

Which blows your curl, O heedless girl. 
To his, who waits your snares. 

Two living wires, spiraled desires — 

A heedless interlock — 
The marvel's done — the "two as one" — 

Unhurried ticks Life's clock. 



Its pendulum, with slow humdrum, 
Swinging mid grime and rust, 

A thresher is of destinies, 
In grains of living dust. 

There's quickening mold in mummy-fold ; 

Not e'er our "dead" are dead; 
We free in clod a germ of God 

With each "destroying" tread. 

So goes the tide — a man, a bride — 
In heaven 'tis sun and moon 

Which alternate to re-create 
The midnight and the noon. 
107 



II 

THE MOSAIC LAW 
COMPENSATION 

What saith the law, in formal awe? 

"An eye for an eye — ^no more 
Nor less, forsooth, than tooth for tooth" ; 

Cool justice keeps the score. 

Praise Father God who quicked the clod, 
Praise Mother Earth, for birth, 

Man, son of both, and nothing loath. 
Seize Heaven with holy mirth. 

This gift divine, thy coimtersign. 

Is e'en a royal dole; 
Thou, else, as sod, by "breath of God" 

A living, laughing soul. 

Then laugh, oh, laugh, mirth's chalice quaff 

Thou master at Life's feast ; 
The tinkling cup is his to sup 

Who dominates the beast. 
108 



THE MOSAIC LAW 

Yet rue, oh, rue the balance true, 

For laughter sways to tears ; 
High hopes, soul-born in man's first morn. 

Found complement in fears. 

From joy to pain, from boon to bane. 

From youth to whitened hair. 
The swing's the same, whate'er its name; 

Life's gamut all is there. 

Crawled, in the wake of God, the snake 

In Eden's primal dell; 
'Gainst faith all fair looms black despair; 

Even Heaven bespeaks a hell. 

So saith the law, in formal awe, 
"An eye for an eye — no more 

Nor less, forsooth, than tooth for tooth"; 
For justice keeps the score. 



109 



Ill 

THE GOSPEL 
EMANCIPATION 

Came a day when man grew weary — came a 
day when man complained : 
"How long, O Lord, how long! 

Vestal-fair om* souls at sunrise, at each going 
down are stained; 
Are battles to the strong? 

Sitting at the feet of Wisdom, in her seven- 
pillared hall. 

Hear the stranger-women clamour to entice 
us with their call 

To the groves of stolen waters, troubled foun- 
tains and corrupt; 

Lord, how dare we lift our voices, when with 
harlots we have supped! 
A dirge must be our song. 

" 'Wisdom's ways are ways of pleasantness 
and all her paths are peace,' 
Yet Life is dense and far; 
110 



THE GOSPEL 

Can we rout the Philistines or gather in a gol- 
den fleece 
In fields where lilies are? 
Grant thy people, Lord, a vision, lest they 

perish by the way, 
Weary of Life's rocking cradle, day for night 

and night for day," 
He who sitteth in the heavens. Master of part 

of life's plan. 
Listened — cloved — and loving, pitied: 'Cross 
man's prayer the current ran. 
And flashed in Bethl'em's star! 



Ill 



BROTHERHOOD 

I 

What's become of the Star in the East? 

Has battle-smoke of wars 
Obscured its beam in the crown of night, 
While doomed men in red-darkness fight 
(With a groping sense of wrong or right) 
And clench and die, by the lm4d blight 

Of the bloody eye of Mars? 

Where are the reverent Wise Men gone 
Who followed the Bethlehem star? 

Did they flee in fright from its gleaming road 

When dim at its end the dark Cross stood? 

Have they lost their way in the bleak, black 
wood ? 

Have they ridden to hounds and tasted blood? 
Are the Wise Men gone to war? 

Where is the little manger-bed 

Where the Prince of Peace was born? 
112 



BROTHERHOOD 

They found it lost in slime and weeds, 
Where pestilential famine breeds, 
And they've made it a trough where the war- 
horse feeds. 
In a stable "reclaimed for his country's needs," 
By a lord of war and scorn. 

Where are the flames of prophecy. 

Lighted at Pentecost 
To flash Love's word through every tongue? 
In conflict's Babel, all unstrung. 
Are theirs the alien curses flung 
Across grim battle-lines — ^which rung 

As taught of Holy Ghost? 

Where's sweet Mother Mary now. 

Who bided last at the Cross? 
Behold, she waits as she waited then. 
Her soul in travail of birth again. 
For every woman's a mother of men. 
And each her son, when a man is slain. 

Be she maid in her vestal floss. 

Where are the angel guards who said, 

"He is risen from the tomb"? 
With wings adroop and joyance fled. 
Low on his breast drops each his head 

113 



SONGS OF LIFE AND LOVE 

In sorrow, while he moans instead, 
^'Despair, O man, thy Lord is dead; 
His grave thy final doom"? 

All no, joy, no! Love's star still gleams 

Above Faith's hostelry 
Where God-in-man's enshrined for aye; 
A living world keeps Easter Day; 
Star-led, come wise men still to pay 
Rich tribute in their newer way 

To haloed mystery. 

Anointing thus the long-foretold, 

By star of Love enticed, 
Crowning the lowly "newborn son 
Of humble virgin, stable-born," 
As King — by prophecies forerun — 
Came out the Wise ]Men, every one 

Himself a healing Christ. 

To heal, to lift, to bind, to save — 

Ordained to ministry 
By laying on of infant hand. 
Come still earth's little faithful band 
Of those who love and understand 
The brotherhood of man — on land 

And sailing every sea. 
114 



BROTHERHOOD 

What matter, Teuton, Slav, or Gaul, 

Or Anglo- Anything, 
If this, their watchword, be not lost 
Through tongues confused and kinship 

glossed? 
Heaven send another Pentecost, 
Till BROTHEEHOOD all tongucs has crossed 

From peasant unto king. 



II 

The little brother to the Czar — 

The serf in battle slain, 
Conscripted oft without his will 
In able manhood — fit to kill — 
And his frail comrade, weak and ill, 
Retained the hea^y lands to till — 

Both brand their king as Cain! 

If first and best are sacrificed 

And epileptics thrive, 
Begetting by their feeble strain 
In pale successors of the slain 
^¥hose sons within their loins have lain 
In soldiers' trenches — whence again 

Will virile men arrive? 
8 115 



SONGS OF LIFE AXD LOVE 

Why not send idiots to fight? 

Conscript the leper camps? 
Wipe out the White Plague on the field? 
Soldiers of coui^ge it would yield! 
Perhaps our murderers might be healed 
By overwork — and kindly shield 

From prisons' gloom and damps. 

If kill we must, let's wisely kill. 
Cast out the world's "unfit"; 
Force paupers to "a noble diance 
To win renown," mth gun and lance; 
Insane asylums would advance 
All needed generals — and dance 
With glee of doddering wit! 

But now's no time for cap and bells 

(Though fools' words oft are good). 
Father of mercy, grant surcease 
Of strife, and send a quick release 
To men in bonds to kings' caprice ; 
Let all earth's travail bring forth peace 
Conceived in brotherhood. 



116 



LIFE'S ARRAIGNMENT 
LIFE'S GENERAL ARRAIGNMENT 

Grim god of carnage, armed witli spear and 
shield, 

Craven equipment, tliis, thy godsliip wears, 
Thou whose theatre is the reddened field 

Where Tragedy thy comedies prepares, 

List, LIFE'S ARRAIGNMENT, whilst 
thy crimes it bares! 
Call, for a moment's space, thy war-dogs in 
While fertile fields confront thee with their 
tares 
And Hunger mocks thee with her bony 
grin! 

Let widows, orphans, sonless men begin 

As creditors preferred in equity; 
Stalwart young souls who passed in smoke 
and din 
Arise as astral shades to challenge thee! 
117 



SONGS OF LIFE AND LOVE 

BLACK-ROBED WIDOWS WITH CHILDREN, SOME IN 
ARMS 

We, thy comedians' widows, wed and left 

With these to rear, some e'en to bear alone, 
That thou mightst feast and laugh at us, 
bereft, 
The father's lightnings blast thee on thy 
throne 

Till fallen 'neath thy bloody star, alone. 
Cursed by each opal of the milky way, 

All bane be thine save death and senseless 
bone ! 
This take from wronged motherhood at bay! 



THE DEAD 

We are the dead, thy plantings of the field; 

Above the din of guns and o'er the shout 
Of Victory thy ribald laughter pealed; 

We heard its mocking while our souls went 
out 

And Imew ourselves thy fools with no redoubt. 
Thou callest brave men to an easy task, 
118 



LIFE'S ARRAIGNMENT 

"To die for Truth!" Thy sophistries we flout! 
And know thee tyrant through thy noble 
mask. 

"To live for Truth!" In this let heroes bask! 
To offer unto Heaven LIFE'S battle- 
scars ! 
"Hearts broken?" Aye, and bleeding hands 
they'd ask, 
With heads uncovered underneath the stars. 

THIN GRAY WOMEN WITH WISTFUL EYES 

We are thy spinsters, childless and unwed; 
Where are our mates? Our sons and 
daughters ? Say, 
Thou monster who darest rob the marriage 
bed 
To make thyself a pagan holiday ! 

"Give us our men?" Ah, nay, the time's away; 

Our breasts are dry and cold, though hearts 
aflame 
Arraign thee thus ! Yet wreaths for us today 

Of rue and rosemary are all we claim. 

Of rosemary for each loved hero's name 
Writ in our hearts in deathless memory; 
119 



SOXGS OF LIFE AND LOVE 

E'en in this dim gray underside of Fame, 
Our sorrow's crown we needs must take of 
thee. 

DIM CHERUB FACES, PEERING THROUGH BARS 

We are the unborn at the gate of life, 

Sons of these gentle spinsters robbed by 
thee 
Of Motherhood and honored name of Wife ; 
Where are our Fathers whom thou heldst 
in fee? 

Our mothers' patient eyes we dimly see, 
And read of LIFE in prisms of their tears ; 

Our phantom fingers touch theirs constantly 
With wistful longing through the silent 
years. 

ALL 

Oh, Holy Spirit, Dove of Peace, arise! 
Beyond war's crimson flood where demons 

wait, 
Cull Thou the olive branch to glad wet eyes 
Waiting deliverance from untoward fate. 

God of our fathers, Thou, Jehovah, gj'eat, 
God of our mothers, Jesu, Mary's Son, 
120 



LIFE'S ARRAIGNMENT 

Dethrone for aye War's gruesome god of 
Hate, 
And see Thy reign of LOVE and PEACE 
begun! 



121 



LIFE AND THE VISION 

Remote and dim uprears the apex pale 

Of yonder heaven-conununing mountain 

crest, 
White clouds, like lost birds, homing on its 
breast ; 
Warm, pulsing life waits low within the vale 
In ardent soil whence purpling lilies hail. 

And joy in love is sung from every nest; 
Here, clapping hands, the hills their glee attest. 
While reed-brooks purl contentment in the 
dale. 

So is Life's mountain at its broadest girth, 
All big and bringing forth, yea, pregnant 
eke 
With flower and song, its ground-streams 
chanting birth. 
Unconscious of the vision at the peak 
Where, rapt, the poet, for the sons of earth, 
gings LIFE and LOVE — nor recks his 
lone height bleak. 
122 



JUST FOR FUN 



YE MERRY PEACEMAKERS 

Does the dog-star guard the diamonds in 
Orion's shining belt? 
Did Capricorn butt through the IVIilky 
Way? 
Did Mars turn red to show the moon how mor- 
tified he felt 
When the shooting stars went skirmishing 
for play? 
Oh, I'm sorely, sorely puzzled, 
And the puzzle-solver's muzzled; 
Does the dog-star — did Capricorn — did 
Mars 
In the ways above propounded? 
Oh, I'm puzzled and confounded, 
For I'm starting up an interest in the 
stars. 

Do the Dryads go joy-riding in Aurora's rosy 
car. 
Through the forests while her ladyship's 
asleep ? 

125 



JUST FOR FUN 

Speeding back before she rises with the early 
morning star. 
Her engagement with the jealous sun to 
keep? 
Oh, I wonder and I wonder. 
Would a Dryad dare such plunder? 
For to "swipe" a ride is worse than steal- 
ing pelf, 
With no chance at restitution 
And the direst retribution 
Throwing joyers daily out upon the shelf! 

Does one need to see the sea to get a notion 
of an ocean? [deep? 

Do the moon-fish and the star-fish light the 
When the sword-fish fall in battle, do the dag- 
gers get promotion? 
Do their widows mourn in sea-weeds while 
they weep? 
Oh, such agitating question 
Is impairing my digestion, 
Even threatening interference with my 
sleep. 
So I'm striving and contriving 
For investigating diving. 
For I'm deeply interested in the deep. 
126 



YE MERRY PEACEMAKERS 

Do the spear-fish mount sea-horses in the cav- 
alry brigade, 
When they quell an insurrection of the Fins? 
Are the sea-wives and the mermaids in at- 
tendance at parade? [begins? 
Do the trumpet-fish blow when the show 
Does their military clatter 
Go "Ra — ^ta — ta — ta — t a — t a — ta ! ' ' 
When the drum-fish sound the morning 
reveille, 
While the moon-fish go in hiding 
And the sun-fish loom presiding. 
And the ray-fish "douse their glims" and 
swim away? 

Do the saw-fish and the hammers keep the sea- 
w^all in repair? 
Is the king-fish democratic for a whim? 
Does he spurn the seals and crests and all the 
heavy swells forswear, 
Just because the little fish are in the swim? 
Oh, I'm puzzled, sorely puzzled, 
And the puzzle-solver's muzzled; 
Do the sky- and field- and sea-folk great 
and small, 
In the ways above propounded? 
127 



JUST FOR FUN 

Oh, I'm puzzled and confounded, 
For I'm always interested in them all! 

So, let's build an incombustible. 
Invisible, adjustable. 
Amphibious machine, with searchlight 
small, 
And steer without commotion 
Through the woods and sky and 
ocean. 
Dear Inventors, then we'll understand 
them all! 

We'll plunge beneath each submarine, and 
learn its bottom fact ; 
Play leapfrog ivith the Zeppelins in the air; 
For, as vve'Il be invisible, there'll be no need for 
tact, [be fair. 

Though, of course, as neutral nations, we'll 
Still, if they're too iniquitous. 
We'll make oui^selves ubiquitous. 
And flabbergast, with windy, noisy stunts, 
All vessels of hostility, 
Until, in awed humility. 
They'll hoist their truce and sue for peace 
at once. 

128 



OCTOBER 

A FANTASY 

The Autumn god swears he is sober, 
Tho' purple his cheek as the vine, 

While he toasts "Octo-to-to-to-to-ber" 
In queer apple juice and new wdne. 

The cider-mills w^hir on the hillside, 

While Robin, half drunk in the tree, 
Throws madrigals over the millside, 

Ecstatic in rollicking glee; 
His red vest distended with berries 

Distilled in the spirit of greed. 
His pomp as a gay janizary's — 

He chants a convivial creed.* 

Then sudden, the whistle of Boreas, 

Knife-edged, shrieks a warning of blight. 

And Robin's bravado victorious 
Is hushed^ — wMe a ribbon of white 

* The robin becomes drunk from eating certain ber- 
ries, sometimes falling from the tree. In the South, 
the late china berries intoxicate him. 

129 



JUST FOR FUN 

Encroaches, as 'nouncement of dolor 

To riot — a symbol of peace; 
And wilder the orgies of color 

Flare, death-mad, refusing surcease. 

The ribbon grows wider and tangled, 

Throws whipcords and bow-knots of frost. 
Till Revelry, hopelessly strangled, 

Lies panting — delirious and lost. 
At this, ail the vines on the hillside 

Drop every last grape in the hay, 
While Robin, grown grave on the millside, 

Sings softly a diif erent lay. 

He tightens his vest o'er those berries 

And toasts, with a hypocrite throat, 
All sea-craft and house-boats and ferries 

Where white-ribbon sails are afloat; 
For birds aren't so different from people, 

And Robin's a gay politician. 
The song one pours out from a steeple 

(So much may depend on position) 
Is not like his perched-on-a-still song. 

In politics, how could it be? 
We've all heard a peace-and-good-will song 

From candidates up in a tree. 
130 



OCTOBER 

The Autumn god mnks at the bird-song; 

It gives him a chance to brace up ; 
He calls it "the queerest-e'er-heard" song, 

Yet, listening, he turns down his cup. 
Remarking, "There's mockery in it!" 

He's foreseen the decline of his day, 
And it stopped his hiccoughs in a minute — 

They're occasionally cured in this way. 

Human-like, he is dashed with amazement 
That his reign in one season should run. 

When, out through his westerly casement. 
He views his broad realm in the sun: 

Sees forests of gold and of amber. 

Sees bushes aflame as on fire, 
Sees tawny-hued vines as they clamber 

O'er boulder and turret and spire; 
Sees orchards all red with fruition. 

Sees meadows of yellowing hay. 
Sees fullness of all rich condition, — 

Sees realization at play. 

And he cries, "Praise ye frosts, I am sober! 

With Revelry joined to the saints, 
I must tend my own fires-of-October, 

And twist my last tubes of their paints ; 
9 131 



JUST FOR FUN 

Yon mountain, dishevelled and drunken. 
Serene, with a clove in its throat, 

More low than its valley is sunken — 
A color-debauch for a coat! 

"Ye gods! Yes, it's great to be sober! 

That mountain I'll merge in the view 
With purples for royal October — 

I must sober my landscape up, too! 
Then, slowly, I'll cover each ember 

With ashes of wild-roses gray, 
E'er wind-blown and weeping November 

Comes splashing my colors away; 
E'er querulous, weak-kneed November 

Looms, clad in a nimbus of weather. 
In which, how I'm chilled to remember. 

That he and I pass out together." 



132 



THE MAN IN THE MOON 

If you watch him long enough 

And never bat your eye, 
The old man in the moon will come 

And turn you to a pie; 
But when he starts to eat you, 

If you'll &mly hold your breath, 
He'll choke upon your upper crust 

And cough himself to death. 

I can't exactly vouch for this 

As honest, Bible truth, 
Though I've often tried to prove it 

In experimental youth; 
My trouble was I always felt 

Afraid of luney men. 
And when he'd stir, I'd bat my eye 

And have to start again. 

Still, there's no harm in trying. 
Though one caution I advise: 

If you should wish to change your mind, 
Be sure to bat your eyes 
133 



JUST FOR FUN 

Before you're quite turned to a pie 

Without an eye to blink, 
For then, should you be short of breath- 

I do not like to think! ! ! ! ! 



But, if the worst should threaten 

And he'd get you in his vest, 
A little swallow on a lark, 

Be brave and do your best; 
Don't lose your nerve but keep repeating; 

"I am always I, 
'No matter though I seem to be 

Just middle-man or pie." 

Then, think on Jonah and the whale. 

Your ease is not the first, 
Keep Jonah's image in your mind 

(This may not be "the worst"). 
And e'er you know what's doing, 

You'll be equal in renown, 
Though, as you'll be already up^, 

You'll have to be thrown down. 

And yours the greater honor 

If you ever get your rights, 
For Jonah sank to depths unknown — 

You will have sealed the heights; 
134 



THE MAN IN THE MOON 

And still one more advantage 
To your credit there will be. 

His story's pis-ea-to-ri-al — 
Yours is AS-TRON-0-MY! , 



(1) 



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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 




